Over time, many gas and liquid distribution valves designed for buried service in the ground sustain rust and corrosion. Such valves are commercially manufactured by (among others) Homestead of Coraopolis, Pa.; Rockwell Manufacturing Company of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and ACF of Houston, Tex.; bearing model numbers 1376-A, 64667 and 37508, respectively.
Rust and corrosion in these distribution valves often cause the "stops" or, valve limit abutments, to become damaged. At present, the failure of the stops to work properly requires a replacement of the entire valve and/or the fabrication of a diverting channel. This diverting channel entails building jumpers around the old valve and using derbies to circumvent the original flow. The replacement of these valves, or the use of jumpers and derbies, is expensive in both parts and labor and time-consuming. Replacement of the valves often requires that the flow of gas or liquid be interrupted. The disruption of flow to customers and consumers of the gas or liquid commodity is enormously inconvenient and can be quite costly. Either method of valve repair is ultimately unsatisfactory.
The present invention provides a simple, inexpensive way to repair damaged, rusted or corroded stops of distribution valves. It provides a means of quickly repairing the stops of distribution valves, without causing an interruption of the line's gas or liquid flow.
This invention is a retrofit replacement stop device. This device fits over the valve already in place and is affixed to the face thereof by facial guide ribs and a flange adapter extension. The flange adapter extension is bolted to the existing distribution valve flange by stud bolts that fit within the original flange holes of the distribution valve flange.